Abstract:Background: China has gradually promoted the inclusion of people with disabilities in various sectors, significantly advancing universal health coverage (UHC) for over 85 million people with disabilities. However, there is a lack of systematic analysis on how China has prioritized disability inclusion in health during periods of resource scarcity and the challenges in establishing a disability prevention system. Objectives: This study aims to systematically review China’s achievements and challenges in promoting disability prevention and health investments to achieve UHC. Materials and Methods: A systematic review approach was adopted, integrating high-quality evidence and primary data to analyze the trends and progress of UHC for people with disabilities in China. Results: Since 1949, China has made continuous progress in disability prevention and rehabilitation. A monitoring system for the needs of 30 million registered persons with disabilities has been established, alongside a comprehensive social security model that combines cash compensation with service provision. Since 2008, both national and sub-national action plans for disability prevention have been introduced, supported by robust service feedback mechanisms covering prevention and rehabilitation for birth defects, developmental disorders, chronic diseases, infectious diseases, mental health issues, and injuries. China has also developed a comprehensive national disability sampling survey and monitoring system. Social security policies have gradually transitioned from protective to inclusive since 2008. Nevertheless, people with disabilities continue to face challenges on the path to UHC, including the lack of disability-inclusive indicators in UHC, fragmented services lacking person-centered integration, and limited comparability of disability data. Conclusions: China has made notable progress in advancing UHC for people with disabilities through governance and innovation, but further efforts are needed for data integration and inclusive services. China’s experience offers valuable insights for global health, especially in resource-limited settings.
Keywords: Health Systems and Universal Health Coverage (UHC), Universal health coverage, China, Disabilities
